{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"Tricia Ann Cotham","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"REP","person":{"biography":"> **Editorial note \u2014 same-name confusion.** North Carolina State Board of Elections results show that a different candidate, listed as \"Patricia (Pat) Cotham,\" appeared on the same November 2022 Mecklenburg County ballot as a candidate for the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners at-large, alongside \"Tricia Cotham\" as the N.C. House District 112 candidate [7]. That person is not the candidate profiled here. The candidate profiled here, whose candidate-filing name is Tricia Ann Cotham, is the Republican state representative for N.C. House District 105 [1][4].\n\n## Current office and 2026 campaign\n\nTricia Ann Cotham is the Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for District 105, a Mecklenburg County seat; the General Assembly's member record lists her at 6.5 terms in the House [1]. WBTV reports that the District 105 seat \"covers part of Mecklenburg County, including the Matthews area\" [8].\n\nCotham filed for re-election on December 17, 2025 for a two-year term [4]. In the March 3, 2026 Republican primary she received 4,372 votes to Kelly VanHorn's 800 [5]; the Associated Press projected the primary for Cotham on election night [8]. She faces Democrat Ken McCool in the November 3, 2026 general election [4][8].\n\n## Background and education\n\nVote Smart's compiled biographical record lists a Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a Master of Arts in school administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill [9].\n\n## Career\n\nVote Smart's record lists Cotham as a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teacher from 2001 to 2005, an assistant principal in the same district from 2003 to 2005, and a head varsity basketball coach for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools; it credits her as Charlotte-Mecklenburg Teacher of the Year in 2002 and Rotary Teacher of the Year in 2003 [9]. After her first stretch of legislative service it lists her as vice president of McGuireWoods Consulting from 2017 to 2019, president of Achievement for All Children from 2019 to 2021, and a senior partner at BCHL Strategic Partners since 2019 [9].\n\nNC Newsline reported in April 2023 that during her earlier terms Cotham \"frequently referred to her time as public school teacher and administrator during floor debates as she built her credentials as a K-12 expert and champion,\" and that the N.C. Association of Educators had named her an \"A+ legislator\" [11].\n\n## Office history\n\nVote Smart's record lists Cotham as representative for District 100 from 2007 to 2017, a 2016 candidate for the U.S. House in North Carolina's 12th District, representative for District 112 from 2023 to 2025, and representative for District 105 since 2025 [9]. NC Newsline describes her first stretch of House service as running \"from 2007 to 2016\" [11]; the two accounts differ on the end year.\n\nIn the November 2022 general election she won District 112 as a Democrat with 15,389 votes to Republican Tony Long's 10,597 [7]. QNotes reported that on November 18, 2023 she announced she would run in the new District 105 [15]. In the November 2024 general election she won District 105 with 27,299 votes to Democrat Nicole Sidman's 27,086 [6]; QNotes reported that Sidman requested a recount after the margin fell under one percent, and that Cotham \"finished over Sidman by a final count of 213 votes\" [15].\n\n## Legislative record and accomplishments\n\nIn the 2025-2026 session Cotham is chairman of the Education - K-12 Committee and of the Appropriations, Education subcommittee, and vice chairman of Appropriations; of Health; and of Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House. She is a member of Election Law, Energy and Public Utilities, Housing and Development, the House Select Committee on North Carolina's Transportation Future, and the House Select Committee on Property Tax Reduction and Reform, and co-chairs the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee [2].\n\nGeneral Assembly records list Cotham as a primary sponsor of 55 bills in the 2025-2026 session [3]. Six have been enacted as session law: House Bill 50, LEO Special Separation Allowance Options (S.L. 2025-8); House Bill 948, The P.A.V.E. Act (S.L. 2025-39); House Bill 378, Various Ed Law/Tax Acct/NIL Changes (S.L. 2025-46); House Bill 768, Emerg. Comm. Code Exempts/Sanitary Board/401 (S.L. 2025-50); House Bill 433, SFRF/NCPRO Revisions (S.L. 2026-3); and House Bill 1104, Improve IVC Process and Enhance Public Safety (S.L. 2026-38) [3]. Other bills she filed as a primary sponsor include House Bill 76, Protect Access to In Vitro Fertilization; House Bill 192, Defund Planned Parenthood & Cost Transparency; House Bill 774, School Breakfast for All; House Bill 985, Increase Punishment for Assaulting Teachers; and House Bill 468, Regulate Kratom Products [3].\n\n## Documented disputes and controversies\n\n**Party switch, April 2023.** On April 5, 2023, three months into a term she had won as a Democrat in District 112, Cotham announced at North Carolina Republican Party headquarters in Raleigh that she was changing her affiliation to the Republican Party [8][11]. The switch gave House Republicans 72 members, enough to override vetoes by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper if all Republicans held together [11][12].\n\nIn her own account at the announcement, as reported by WUNC, Cotham said: \"I've suffered many attacks since I've been up here, from Democrats in the party, from blasting me on Twitter, to calling me names, to going after my family, going after my children.\" She said members of the caucus \"certainly will slice and dice you in a second with malicious, vicious, untrue rumors and do not celebrate your success,\" and said, \"I am still the same person, and I am going to do what I believe is right and follow my conscience\" [10].\n\nDemocratic officials disputed her account in the same reporting. North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton said, \"Everything she's said about what my party has done internally is off-base.\" House Democratic Leader Robert Reives said, \"Either she's mistaken about her recollection, or for some reason I've been texting somebody who's pretending to be Tricia Cotham\" [10].\n\n**Abortion.** NC Newsline reported that on May 3, 2022, about two weeks before her Democratic primary, Cotham wrote on Twitter, \"Now, more than ever we need leaders who will be unwavering and unapologetic in their support of abortion rights,\" and that as recently as February 2023 she co-sponsored a bill with other Democrats to codify the 1973 Supreme Court decision establishing a constitutional right to abortion [11]. At the party-switch news conference she would not commit to a position, saying, \"I'm going to listen. I'm going to look inside and I'm going to pray on this issue. And I know that that's where I'll find the answer, as I do on everything\" [11]. PolitiFact quoted her 2015 floor speech opposing a longer abortion waiting period: \"My womb and my uterus is not up for your political grab. Legislators \u2014 you \u2014 do not hold shares in my body, so stop trying to manipulate my mind\" [13].\n\nOn May 3, 2023, Cotham voted with 71 Republicans to pass Senate Bill 20, which bans most abortions after 12 weeks; the House vote was 71-46 along party lines [12]. She voted on May 16, 2023 to override Cooper's veto of the bill [13]. Cotham said the legislation \"strikes a reasonable balance on the abortion issue\" and said of her earlier account, \"I had an ectopic pregnancy that sadly ended in miscarriage, not an elective abortion\" [13]. PolitiFact rated the change in position a \"Full Flop\" [13].\n\n**Charter schools and education oversight.** At the party-switch announcement Cotham said, \"On issues like school choice, like charters, we have to evolve\" [11], and told reporters, \"One-size-fits-all in education is wrong for children. It might be OK for adults, but I am about children\" [14]. Days later she was one of four Republican primary sponsors of House Bill 618, which would strip the State Board of Education of its authority over charter school applications, amendments, renewals and terminations and shift those decisions to a newly created Charter School Review Board [14]. WRAL reported that Cotham \"was the president of a corporation that ran charter schools\" and was at the time one of three chairs of the House Education Committee, \"a role she's held since the start of the session when she was a Democrat, a rare position for a Democrat in the GOP-controlled chamber\" [14].\n\n## Business interests and wealth source\n\nVote Smart's record lists Cotham as vice president of McGuireWoods Consulting from 2017 to 2019, president of Achievement for All Children from 2019 to 2021, and a senior partner at BCHL Strategic Partners since 2019 [9]. NC Newsline described Achievement for All Children as \"the nonprofit organization running Southside-Ashpole\" Elementary in Robeson County, the only school that ended up in what was later called the Innovation School District [11]. NC Newsline reported that in 2020 it obtained a confidential letter prepared for State Board of Education members recommending that the state cancel its contract with Achievement for All Children, citing \"more than a half-dozen reports the organization had not filed on time as required by its contract, including its proposed budget and annual audit,\" and that in June 2021 the State Board of Education announced it had ended the contract [11].\n\n## Sources\n\n[1] [Representative Tricia Ann Cotham - Biography](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Biography/H/817) - North Carolina General Assembly, accessed 2026-07-30\n[2] [Representative Tricia Ann Cotham - Committees](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/Committees/H/817) - North Carolina General Assembly, accessed 2026-07-30\n[3] [Representative Tricia Ann Cotham - Introduced Bills](https://www.ncleg.gov/Members/IntroducedBills/H/817) - North Carolina General Assembly, accessed 2026-07-30\n[4] [2026 Candidate Listing (candidate filing file)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/Elections/2026/Candidate%20Filing/Candidate_Listing_2026.csv) - NC State Board of Elections, accessed 2026-07-30\n[5] [Official precinct-level results, March 3, 2026 primary](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2026_03_03/results_pct_20260303.zip) - NC State Board of Elections, accessed 2026-07-30\n[6] [Official precinct-level results, November 5, 2024 general election](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2024_11_05/results_pct_20241105.zip) - NC State Board of Elections, accessed 2026-07-30\n[7] [Official precinct-level results, November 8, 2022 general election](https://s3.amazonaws.com/dl.ncsbe.gov/ENRS/2022_11_08/results_pct_20221108.zip) - NC State Board of Elections, accessed 2026-07-30\n[8] [Tricia Cotham wins 2026 Republican primary for North Carolina House District 105, AP projects](https://www.wbtv.com/2026/03/04/tricia-cotham-wins-2026-republican-primary-north-carolina-house-district-105-ap-projects/) - WBTV, accessed 2026-07-30\n[9] [Tricia Cotham - Biography](https://justfacts.votesmart.org/candidate/biography/69643/tricia-cotham) - Vote Smart, accessed 2026-07-30\n[10] [NC Rep. Cotham says mistreatment from fellow Democrats prompted party switch](https://www.wunc.org/politics/2023-04-05/nc-rep-cotham-says-mistreatment-from-fellow-democrats-prompted-party-switch) - WUNC, accessed 2026-07-30\n[11] [NC Rep. Tricia Cotham, then and now](https://ncnewsline.com/2023/04/13/nc-rep-tricia-cotham-then-and-now/) - NC Newsline, accessed 2026-07-30\n[12] [NC House passes 12-week abortion ban along party lines. The NC Senate votes Thursday.](https://ncnewsline.com/2023/05/04/nc-house-passes-12-week-abortion-ban-along-party-lines-the-nc-senate-votes-thursday/) - NC Newsline, accessed 2026-07-30\n[13] [After switching parties, Tricia Cotham flip-flops on abortion](https://api.politifact.com/factchecks/2023/may/17/tricia-cotham/after-switching-parties-tricia-cotham-flip-flops-o/) - PolitiFact, accessed 2026-07-30\n[14] [Cotham, now with GOP, backs new Republican effort to ease charter school approvals](https://www.wral.com/story/cotham-now-with-gop-backs-new-republican-effort-to-ease-charter-school-approvals/20809982/) - WRAL, accessed 2026-07-30\n[15] [House Seat 105 goes to Tricia Cotham after recount results](https://qnotescarolinas.com/house-seat-105-goes-to-tricia-cotham-after-recount-results/) - QnotesCarolinas, accessed 2026-07-30\n","firstname":"Patricia","lastname":"Cotham","middlename":"Ann","suffix":null,"token":"b4f2e218183fb08b"},"token":"dtY2QfYCwI44FgHC"},{"candidatename":"Ken McCool","chatgptsummary":null,"notes":null,"party":"DEM","person":{"biography":"Ken McCool is the Democratic candidate for the North Carolina House of Representatives, District 105, on the November 3, 2026 ballot. The seat is part of the state\u2019s lower legislative chamber, which enacts laws, adopts the budget, and represents the interests of constituents in its district [1].\n\nA lifelong resident of Matthews, McCool entered public service at age 21, becoming one of the youngest elected officials in North Carolina history when he won a seat on the Matthews Town Council. He has been re\u2011elected to the council multiple times, most recently appearing on the 2019 town\u2011council ballot where he received 9.3\u202f% of the vote among six at\u2011large seats [1]. In his council role, McCool has focused on affordable housing, public safety, and what he describes as \u201csmart growth.\u201d According to his campaign website, he helped deliver the town\u2019s largest park investment in a generation and assisted in recruiting a major advanced\u2011manufacturing campus that promises high\u2011paying jobs for the region [16]. The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee profile adds that he has worked to increase affordable housing and bring economic opportunities to his community while serving on the council [13].\n\nOutside elected office, McCool runs a family\u2011owned small business, positioning himself as a \u201csmall business leader\u201d in the district. His campaign messaging emphasizes dedication to working\u2011family issues, public\u2011education funding, and opposition to policies that favor private\u2011school vouchers at the expense of public schools [1]. The Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey records his stance on public\u2011education reform and other policy priorities [1].\n\nMcCool\u2019s 2026 campaign is being supported by the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, which highlights his goal of flipping the District\u202f105 seat from its Republican incumbent, Tricia Cotham, who won the Republican primary earlier in March 2026 [13][18]. The primary for the Democratic side was canceled, leaving McCool as the party\u2019s sole nominee [1].\n\nWhile some local commentary has criticized McCool\u2019s development record, describing him as aligned with developers and accusing him of \u201cselling out\u201d residents, these viewpoints are part of the public discourse surrounding his candidacy and do not reflect official campaign positions [15].\n\nIf elected, McCool would join the 120\u2011member House, where he would be expected to vote on state legislation, serve on committees, and advocate for the needs of District\u202f105 constituents, continuing the policy themes he has championed on the town council and in his campaign platform.\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Ken McCool - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Ken_McCool)\n- [3] [Candidate Lists | NCSBE](https://www.ncsbe.gov/results-data/candidate-lists)\n- [8] [Candidate Profiles \u2013 NC Voter Guide](https://ncvoterguide.org/profiles/)\n- [13] [Ken McCool - Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee](https://www.dlcc.org/candidates/ken-mccool/)\n- [15] [Ken McCool\u2019s Campaign Launch Exposes a Troubling Truth: \u201cHe Will Sell You Out\u201d](https://www.nchouserepublicans.com/post/ken-mccool-s-campaign-launch-exposes-a-troubling-truth-he-will-sell-you-out)\n- [16] [Ken McCool for North Carolina | Official Campaign Website](https://kenmccool.com/)\n- [18] [Tricia Cotham wins 2026 Republican primary for North Carolina House District 105, AP projects](https://www.wbtv.com/2026/03/04/tricia-cotham-wins-2026-republican-primary-north-carolina-house-district-105-ap-projects/)\n- [20] [Who is running for election in 2026? - NCLocal](https://nclocal.org/2025/12/22/who-is-running-for-election-in-2026/)","firstname":"Kenneth","lastname":"Mccool","middlename":"John","suffix":null,"token":"d7bb22f4186f35c0"},"token":"OyIElhixKnIUoKJy"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"state_representative","o.office":"state_house","office":"state_house","officedescription":"The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the state legislature, with 99 members elected from single-member districts to two-year terms. Representatives pass state laws, originate revenue bills, approve the state budget, and \u2014 with the Senate \u2014 confirm gubernatorial appointments and propose constitutional amendments.","officequalities":"- **Integrity** \u2014 Acts in the interest of constituents and the public good rather than for personal gain, and remains independent of undue influence from donors, lobbyists, and party leadership.\n- **Understanding of the constituency** \u2014 Grasps both the economic-development needs of the district and the day-to-day concerns of individual residents \u2014 safety, healthcare, education, infrastructure.\n- **Persuasion** \u2014 Engages, listens to, and persuades both fellow legislators and constituents. Can change minds and explain votes honestly.\n- **Legislative craft** \u2014 Reads, drafts, and amends statute with care. Understands how specific bill language translates to outcomes, and knows the body of law being modified.\n- **Coalition-building** \u2014 Finds common ground across partisan and factional lines, brokers compromises that hold, and forms working majorities even when consensus is hard to reach.","officeterm":2,"officetitle":"State Representative","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":null,"title":"Nc House Of Representatives District 105"}